Gravatt


The Gravatt Family

See the Gravatt Census Transcripts                                              and the related Tann family History page  and Tree

See the Gravatt Family Tree                                                             and the Gravatt Family Photos

Further Research Notes re the Gravatts of Billingshurst.

DNA Matches

 


 

Background

The research into the Gravatt family began many years ago with the help of a family tree that had been made out by Neil Gravatt for his aunt Doreen Howard (nee Curtis).  This family tree had been passed onto Antony Streatfield, (my dad and Doreen’s nephew) after her death.
Our Gravatt line terminates in
London, but it may progress into Sussex where there is a huge number of Gravatts or even Henley of Thames where a line goes back well into the 1500s.  Time will tell.

I have seen many family trees from ancestry that attribute our John b abt 1764, who left a will in 1834 and/or his son John, to a family of Sussex Gravatts from Billingshurst.  I have researched these and have tried to address this issue here as I believe this not to be the case at this moment in time. 

At the top of our tree for a long time was John Gravatt born abt 1764 but no idea where he came from.  However, now thanks to some information from fellow Gravatt researcher Debbie, I am pretty confident that we now have John’s parents William Gravet and Mary

Gravatt burial St. Lukes

   Gravatt family Grave stone at St. Luke’s Finsbury

We learned a lot about John Gravatt senior from his Will dated 11th January, 1834 (made the day before he died)1.  [Thanks to Marion Woolgar for this will and other documents sent to me during 2004-2005].  In the will, he states that he is a Gentleman.

He leaves money to his sister, Nanny Horne (likely Ann), two nieces, Sophia and Hannah Horne, a niece Mrs Battice (then a widow) of Doncaster Place Old Kent Road. Also his daughter-in-law Hannah Gravatt, widow, of Windmill Street (this confirmed the link between this John and his son John, below). He also mentions his Gravatt grandchildren and another daughter-in-law; Sarah Barnes of Pentonville.

I had managed to find details of his sister Ann Horne born about 1758, her husband [a marriage has been found between Ann Gravat and Thomas Horne on 22nd June 1788 at St. Bennett, London] and their daughters.  They had five daughters that included Sophia, born 1796 and Hannah, born 1794. 

Thanks to Debbie I have now a good clue to the identity of Mrs Battice (or Batty, as she was) I still not know who exactly Sarah Barnes was but she must have been the wife of a brother of John.  However, there are possible parents for John Gravatt born about 1764: John Gravatt and Ann Ryall who married in 1763 at Westminster (John born 24.10.1765) or John Gravatt, tanner and Ann (John born 10.4.1764). 

On the other hand, these possible parents did not account for a sister Ann. Again, thanks to Debbie, we now also know that John must have had a brother called Thomas born about 1761 (he is the father of Sarah Myra Gravatt who became Mrs Batty (Battice in the will) and Debbie’s 3 x great grandmother.  From this we have another candidate for their father; William. 

A William Gravet married Mary Brown on 4th June, 1755 at All Saints, West Ham 12 and they had children also baptised there. However, although they had Ann in 1757 (perfect time frame for John’s sister in the will) and a son Thomas born in 1761 amongst others, they did not appear to have a son called John!!   Then as I was checking for baptisms on FreeReg, I tried leaving the surname blank. Because we had a gap between Thomas b 1761 and Ruth b 1765, and I was suspicious as John’s birth date would fit in there but may have been mis-transcribed.

Then I found a John Graven bp 22nd Jan 1764 All Saints West Ham, parents William and Mary!  (On ancestry this man had been transcribed as Gravels)  Having now seen the original parish registers I notice that although John’s entry is very feint, it looks more like Graveh than Graven or Gravels but I am convinced we have found him!

I am also grateful to Melinda Harley who sent me some research that her father Eric Croston had done which agrees with all of the West Ham scenario which is very heart warming! 

Returning to John’s will; as there is no mention of a wife in the will of 1834, it was assumed that she had died before him and by luck I was sent this grave inscription (thanks Joan!). Therefore, it is highly probable, that the Mary Gravatt mentioned on the headstone (above right) was John’s wife.  Mary Wright married a John Gravate on 1st August, 1786 at St Dunstan, Stepney, London 2.  

 


 

It appears then that William Gravatt born abt 1734 married Mary Brown on 4th June, 1755 at All Saint, West Ham.  They had the following children all baptised at All Saint, West Ham . 12 , 13 .   

 

Ann Gravatt bp 7.9.1757 West Ham, All Saints                                                                                                                                                                                         m 22.6.1788 St Benets Pauls’ Wharf to Thomas Horn (widower)                                                                                                                             d 1839, bur 29.9.1839 St Benets Pauls’ Wharf, London                                                                                                              Mary Gravet bp 25.3.1759 West Ham, All Saints                                                                                                                                                                                      bur 18.9.1759 West Ham, All Saints  12                                                                                                                                     Thomas Gravet bp 22.3.1761 West Ham, All Saints                                                                                                                                                                                      m 20.2.1787 St George in the East, Tower Hamlets to Sarah Lay ?                                                                                                                          bur 11.6.118132 West Ham, All Saints ?                                                                                                                                          John Gravatt (Newsman) bp 22.1.1764 West Ham, All Saints                                                                                                                                                                                     m 1.8.1786 St Dunstan & All Saints Stepney to Mary Wright                                                                                                                              d 12.1.1834, bur 20.1.1834 St. Luke’s age 70 [will dated 11.1.1834]                                                                          Ruth Gravet bp 24.3.1765 West Ham, All Saints                                                                                                                                                                                     bur 22.11.1769 West Ham, All Saints  12                                                                                                                                         William Gravet bp 14.6.1767 West Ham, All Saints Saints                                                                                                                                                                          bur 10.11.1769 West Ham, All Saints 12                                                                                                                                   Sarah Gravet bp 25.10.1769 West Ham, All Saints                                                                                                                                                                                   bur 6.5.1770 West Ham, All Saints 12  

 

At this time I have no idea what happened to William and Mary or where they were from.   There is one Mary Brown baptised at All Saints West Ham in 1724 that could be her.  She would have been 31 when she married however. 

 


 

Ann Gravatt was born in 1757.  On 22nd June, 1788 she married a widower Thomas Horne (son of Richard Horne and Martha), a bricklayer at St. Benett Pauls’ Wharf, London. They were both of this parish  They had five daughters 12;

 

Rebecca Horne b 20.8.1790, bp 121.9.1.1790 St. Benett Pauls’ Wharf, London                                                                                                                                     m 14.5.1826 Christchurch, Southwark to James Robson
Harriett Horne  b 9.6.1792, bp 1.7.1792 St. Benett Pauls’ Wharf, London                                                                                                                                                m 24.3.1824 Christchurch, Southwark to Robert Whenlock                                                                                                  Hannah Horne  b 25.6.1794, bp 31.8.1794  St. Benett Pauls’ Wharf, London
Sophie Horne b 26.12.1796, bp 15.1.1797 St. Benett Pauls’ Wharf, London                                                                                                                                           m 24.3.1839 St Giles Cripplegate to Thomas Clark
Rachel Martha Horne b 27.1.1799, bp 13.3.1799 St. Benett Pauls’ Wharf, London                                                                                                                                           bur 12.1.1800 St. Benett Pauls’ Wharf, London

 

Thomas died in 1838 and was buried at St Benett on 18th April, 1838. At the time he was living at Helmet Court. His widow Ann was also buried at St. Benett on 29th September 1839 aged 82.  She was living at Alms Houses, St. Peter’s Hill.  Rebecca Horne and her fiancee James were witnesses at her sister Harriet’s wedding in 1823 and Sophia Horne was a witness at her sister Rebecca’s wedding in 1826.  It appears as though Hannah did not marry – she was aged 50 and unmarried at the time of the 1851 census living at Helmet Street, being on parochial relief and deaf 9

                                                      


 

Thomas Gravet/Graveat was born in 1761 and baptised on 22nd March 13.  He married a Sarah (possibly Sarah Lay on 20th February, 1787 at St George in the East, Tower Hamlets 12 ) and they had one daughter that we know about:

 

Sarah Myra Graveat bp 2.5.1792 West Ham, All Saints                                                                                                                                                                                        m1 1.2.1818 St. Ann, Blackfriars to John Batty Jnr of Sheffield                                                                                                                                  m2 19.2.1836 Camberwell St. Giles to George Hooper                                                                                                                                                d 21.7.1860 Theydon Hall, bur 28.7.1860 Theydon Boise 

 

It is not certain at present whether Thomas died in 1797 or 1832 at West Ham.  There is also a Thomas that was buried on 15th November, 1790 in West Ham and he may be an infant son?  The Thomas Graveat that died in 1832 was aged 71 and would, therefore have been born in 1761.  If this is our Thomas, he was buried at West Ham All Saints on 11th June, 1832 and lived at Old Kent Road 13.  Moreover, this is where his daughter Sarah Myra/Mira was living in 1834 when she was widowed 1 , according to her uncle John’s will in 1834. 

 

Sarah Myra Graveat married John Batty Junior of Sheffield on 1st February, 1818 at St Ann, Blackfriars 14 .  They had one child; 

Myra John Batty b 1820                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       m 1.10.1840 Bisley, Gloucestershire to Cleave Woodward Hooper (witnessed by her mother and stepfather Sarah and George Hooper)

     

John died in 1820 and Sarah did not remarry until 1836, so Sarah was the  widowed “Mrs Battice” (Battey) mentioned in John Gravatt’s will of 1834. After she married George Hooper on 19th February, 1836 they lived at Theydon Hall where George was a farmer of 515 acres at the time of the 1851 census 9 .  Sarah died there on 21st July 1860 and was buried on 28th July at Theydon Bois 12

 


 

John Gravatt, a Newsman/Gentleman was born about 1764, probably baptised on 22nd January, 1764 (transcribed as John Graven on Freereg and Gravels on ancestry)12, 13 .  He married Mary Wright [possibly the daughter of John Wright, Ropemaker and Sarah] on 1st August, 1786 at St Dunstan, Stepney, London 12.  They were both stated as “of this parish and the hamlet of MEOT” [Mile End Old Town].  They had at least one son:

John Gravatt born about 1787, most likely bp 19.8.1787 All Saints, West Ham

I had thought that they had probably had another son who would have been married to Sarah who late became the daughter-in-law Sarah Barnes of Pentonville as mentioned in the will of John senior.  However, further research has led me to the conclusion that the daughter-in-law Sarah Barnes was in fact a step-daughter:

“Daughter in law” on the census returns was an accepted term for a step daughter as well as a son’s wife. www.genealogy.com has this definition:

Daughter-in-law
A daughter-in-law is the wife of an individual’s son. Daughter-in-law also used to mean “step-daughter.”

It appears that 3 years before her marriage to John Gravatt, Mary Wright had an illegitimate daughter Sarah Wright baptised 5th March, 1783 at St Leonard’s Shoreditch. 12.  Sarah married John Barnes, a carpenter and Builder on 7th April 1807 at St. Pancras.  They lived at Pentonville up until at least the 1841 census so this would be the Sarah Barnes of Pentonville in John’s will of 1834.  By the time of the 1851 census they were living in Tottenham.  One further link was the fact that H Gravatt (Hannah) was a witness at the wedding of Sarah’s daughter Elizabeth Barnes in 1824, 

 It is possible that they had a daughter Sarah Gravatt baptised on 9th May, 1791 at St Giles in the Fields as this is not too far from St. Luke’s where we know that John and Mary ended up living.  However, as there is no daughter mentioned in his will she must have died and left him no living grand children.  John’s wife Mary died on 6th January 1830 and was buried on 14th January also at St. Lukes 3He died on 12th January, 1834 and was buried at St. Lukes on 20th January 3 .  He left a will dated 11th Jan 1834. 

 


 

John Gravatt born in 1787 was also a Newsman/stationer at 8 Windmill Street, Finsbury. He married Hannah Steedman, daughter of Robert Steedman and Margaret Mulbeam, on 1st January, 1812 at All Hallows, Barking.  They had nine children, all baptised at St. Luke’s church, Finsbury 3:

 

Mary  Gravatt bp 6.10.1812 Finsbury d by 1815                                                                                                                                                         John Gravatt bp 16.1.1814 Finsbury                                                                                                                                                                                                             d 10.8.1827 Finsbury bur 13.8.1827 St Lukes 3
Hannah Gravatt bp 7.5.1815  Finsbury                                                                                                                                                                                                              m 27.9.1836  Finsbury to James Tann (b 1814)                                                                                                                                                            d 28.12.1854, bur Hightgate cemetery 10
Mary Gravatt bp 7.5.1815 Finsbury                                                                                                                                                                                                                bur 10.7.1862 Highgate Cemetery
Thomas Gravatt (Law Stationer) b 15.6.1816 bp 22.9.1816 Finsbury                                                                                                                                                                                      m 25.4.1839 Finsbury to Eleanor Tann (b 1818)                                                                                                                                                          d 17.5.1899 Leyton, bur 21.7.1899 Waltham Forest
Robert Gravatt (Law Stationer) b 11.9.1817 bp 26.12.1817 Finsbury                                                                                                                                                                                     m1 30.11.1841 St. Luke’s, Finsbury to Clarissa Harriet Tann (b 1819)                                                                                                                   m2 10.2.1881 St. Lawrence, London to Mary Ann Lambert                                                                                                                                 d 1.4.1902 East Hendred, Berks
Mira Sarah Gravatt bp 21.4.1819 Finsbury                                                                                                                                                                                                            d 26.8.1865 Islington (spinster)
James Gravatt bp 8.7.1821 Finsbury,
William Gravatt b 31.3.1821 bp 8.7.1821 Finsbury                                                                                                                                                                                         d 2.7.1822 Finsbury bur 7.7.1822 St Lukes 3

 

In the 1846 London Directory, Hannah was listed as Hannah Gravatt & Son (stationer), 8 Windmill Street, Finsbury Square, the son being Robert, but I have been unable to locate her in the 1841 census. Her two youngest surviving children James (a Grocer) and Mira were living at Hyde Place, Tower Hamlets, Shoreditch.  At the time of the 1851 census Hannah was living at Green Lanes, Tottenham with daughters Mary, Mira and a grandson Robert.  Hannah was living at 14 Albion Street in 1861 with her two youngest daughters Mary and Myra.  She died at the same address on 5th February, 1862 aged 71 4. Her son Robert was present at death.  She was buried on 14th February, 1862 at Highgate Cemetery.

 

It appears that Hannah was a victim of crime on two separate occasions. Firstly, a theft on 2nd February, 1825 when Francis Gosling was indicted for stealing a pocket book (value 2s) and twelve ornaments (value 3d). He was found Not Guilty at the Old Bailey on 17th February, 1825.

Secondly, on 13th September, 1827 when a number of items were stolen from the stationer’s shop in Windmill Street, belonging to both Hannah and her daughter Mary.  Transcripts available from the Old Bailey.  7

 


 

Thomas Gravatt, born on 15th June 1816 was the son of John Gravatt and Hannah Steedman. He was a law stationer and he married Eleanor Tann, daughter of Edward Tann, safe maker and Ann, on 25th April 1839.  His brother-in-law James Tann was a partner, after having spent their apprenticeships together. They had set up home and business at 17 Serle’s Place, Lincolns Inn, at least up until 1846 6.  Soon after this they dissolved their company.  Thomas and Eleanor stayed at Serles Place and James Tann moved his office to 4 Cocks’ Court, Carey Street 11Thomas and Eleanor had twelve children, all baptised at St. Clement Dane’s, Westminster 5:

Thomas Gravatt (Banker’s Clerk) b 28.2.1840, bp 15.4.1840 Westminster                                                                                                                                                                            m 12.4.1866 Norwich to Susanna Cannel Long
Edward Gravatt (Law Clerk) b 16.5.1841,  bp 9.6.1841 Westminster                                                                                                                                                                                m 1865? Hackney to Eliza P K
Ellen Ann Gravatt
b 1842  bp 12.10.1842 Westminster                                                                                                                                                                                                   m 1871 Hackney to Robert Tann (Safe Maker)
Annie Gravatt b 31.1.1844, bp 26.2.1844 Westminster                                                                                                                                                                               d 1924 Blean, Kent
John  Gravatt (Railway Clerk) b 25.9.1845, bp 22.10.1845 Westminster                                                                                                                                                                           m 14.9.1887 Walthamstow to Alexandria Elizabeth Tann (daughter of James Tann & Hannah Gravatt)                                           d 1885? Tonbridge                                                                      
Robert Gravatt (Solicitor‘s Clerk)  b 15.6.1847, bp 13.7.1847  Westminster,                                                                                                                                                                             m1 28.11.1872  Islington to Elizabeth Jessie James                                                                                                                                             m2 21.1.1901 Islington to Alice Mary Farrin (nee Law)                                                                                                                                              d  17.8.1902 Highbury, bur 21.8.1902 Highgate cemetery
Clara Gravatt b 17.3.1849, bp 11.4.1849 Westminster                                                                                                                                                                                m 1872 Hackney to Henry Joseph Turner
Alfred James Gravatt b 7.7.1851, bp 3.8.1851 Westminster                                                                                                                                                                                   d 1856 Westminster
Louisa Mary Gravatt b 2.9.1852,  bp 17.1.1854 Westminster                                                                                                                                                                                d 1856 Westminster
Alice Gravatt b 14.12.1855, bp 23.1.1856 Westminster
Alfred Gravatt (store Keeper) b 7.3.1858 Westminster                                                                                                                                                                                                         m 29.5.1886 St. Mary’s Walthamstow to Fanny Scholfield
Ada Gravatt b 1.4.1861, bp 26.4.1861 Westminster

Between 1865 and 1883, Thomas was in business at eight addresses around the Inns of Court.  They lived at 17 Serle’s Place, Carey Street, St Clement Danes from at least 1841 until after 1861.  At the time of the 1871 census Thomas and Eleanor were living at 17 Banksleys Walk, Hackney and in 1881 at Grosvenor Park Road, Walthamstow.  By the time of the 1891 census, a 75 year old Thomas was living with Eleanor and both of their youngest daughters (Alice 35, and Ada 30) at 8 Clarendon Road, Walthamstow.  It is thought that Eleanor died in 1895.
Thomas died aged 85 on 17th July, 1899 3 Malta Road, Leyton from senile decay 4.   His daughter Alice was present at death.  No will has been found.  The Death notice was extracted from “The Times” 20 Jul 1899 :-

“GRAVATT – On the 17th July, at Leyton, Thomas Gravett, late of Serle’s Place, Carey-street, in his 85th year.”

 


 

 Robert Gravatt, born 1817 was also a law Stationer. He married Clarissa Harriet Tann, another daughter of Edward Tann, on  30th November, 1841 at St. Luke’s, Finsbury 4 and they had the following children:

Clara Gravatt bp 2.11.1842 St Luke’s  
Emily Gravatt bp 6.4.1845 St Luke’s
Ellen Gravatt bp 6.5.1845 St Luke’s
Myra Louise Gravatt bp 17.9.1847 St Luke’s
Robert Edward Gravatt bp 1.4.1849 St Luke’s                                                                                                                                                                                                               d 15.2.1867 Cheapside
Harry James Gravatt bp 17.8.1851 St Luke’s                                                                                                                                                                                                              m 24.2.1886 Sutton Maddock, Shropshire to Emma Sarah Greenhaigh

Arthur George Gravatt b 17.10.1856, bp 5.9.1858 St. Lukes
William Gravatt (Sugar Broker) b 7.8.1858, bp 5.9.1858 St Luke’s                                                                                                                                                                                          m 10.10.1891 St. James, Edmonton to Annie May                                                                                                                                                 d 11.11.1942 15

[Thanks to Stephen Thompson, also researching this family for doing a great job of noting all the instances of the name Gravatt in the Times Archives between 1785 and 1985. Above all, this has been a useful clue as to the whereabouts of the Gravatt’s stationers. We know that they were at 8 Windmill Street before and during 1851, however, not during the 1841 census, as this address was empty at this time. The Times articles tell us that the premises were in existence from at least 1817.]

After John died, his son Robert took over at this address until at least the time of the 1851 census, but later Robert’s premises had moved to 11 King’s Street, Cheapside 8.    Clarissa died on 27th November, 1859 at Cheapside. Clarissa’s Letter of Administration shows that by this time they were living at 7 Bonner Road, Bethnal Green; the shop’s premises being elsewhere.  It appears that Robert remarried on 10th February, 1881 at St. Lawrence, London to Mary Ann Lambert, daughter of George Lambert 4.  Mary died on 9th February, 1902 and Robert died on 1st April 1902 at East Hendred.

Thanks to Melinda Henley, his great grand-daughter, we know also that William Gravatt Sugar broker, married Annie May (daughter of Henry Benjamin May) on 10th October, 1891 at St. James, Edmonton.  They had five daughters.  Theses and other descendants of Robert and Clarissa can be seen on the Appendix 1 tree.

 

 


 

Letter from Robert Gravatt to his parents 1859

Letter from Robert Gravatt to his parents 1859

Robert Gravatt was born on 15th June, 1847 at 17 Serles Place, Lincoln’s Inn, Westminster 4.  He was not at home at Serle’s Place at the time of the 1851 census. Instead, he was with his grandmother Hannah Gravatt at Green Lanes, Tottenham 9.  He went to school in in Hackney.  In addition, we have a letter written by him to his father in 1859 advising them of his Christmas vacation – a very formal and almost grovelling letter.

On 28th November, 1872 he married Elizabeth Jessie James, daughter of Walter James at St. Mary’s Church, Islington.  At the time of his marriage he and his bride lived in Barnbury Street, Islington and Robert was an Attorney’s clerk.
Robert and Elizabeth had nine children:

Jessie Eleanor Gravatt  b 29.9.1873                                                                                                                                                           m 22.4.1905 Islington to George Samuel Fisher
Robert Walter Gravatt b 17.11.1874 Homerton                                                                                                                                         d 29.4.1931
Claira Alice Gravatt b 28.4.1876                                                                                                                                                             m 27.9.1902 Christchurch, Highbury to Charles Cambridge Grigson
George Gravatt (clerk) b 12.7.1877 Leyton                                                                                                                                                m 4.8.1909 to Amy Fulker                                                                                                                              d 9.8.1955
Alfred Gravatt b 8.5.1879 Homerton                                                                                                                                                                                                              m 31.1.1904 Pancras to Rosa Alice Eliza Riley                                                                                                                                                             d 1904?
Katherine Gravatt (nurse) b 20.2.1881 Leyton                                                                                                                                                     d 3.8.1980 Ranfurly, New Zealand
Rebecca Gravatt b 9.3.1883 Leyton                                                                                                                                                                                                                    m 17.8.1907 Edmonton to Edgar Charles Sparks                                                                                                                                                     d 27.7.1932                                                                         
Ernest Gravatt (clerk) b 31.1.1885 Leyton, bp 17.7.1896 St. Thomas, Finsbury Park                                                                                                                                                                             m 2.12.1906 St. Gabriel, Bounds Green to Annie Gladys Sparham                                                                                                                d 1.12.1966 Tottenham
Louisa Gravatt (my great grandmother) b 9.3.1887 Islington,                                                                                                                                                                                                               m 26.6.1909 West Ham to Augustus Thomas George Curtis,                                                                                                                              d 1973 Bridport

Up until 1876 they lived at Holly Cottage, Homerton.  In 1877 they moved to 6 Stanley Road, Leyton, where they lived until 1885 when they lived at 2 Rock Villas, Maynard Road, Walthamstow.
By 1881 Robert had become a solicitor and in 1887, when my great gran Louisa was born, they lived at 23 Stavordale Road, where they lived until Robert’s death in 1902.
Elizabeth died in December 1899 and in March 1901 Robert married Alice Mary Farrin (nee Law) who had been his wife’s nurse.   Alice had two children of her own that were living with the family in 1901; Walter and Dorothy Farrin.   Robert died on 17th August 1902 at home in 23 Stavordale Road 4. He was buried on 21st August at Highgate cemetry.   When he died, his brother John Gravatt, railway clerk of 35 Buxton Road, Chingford was an executor of his will.                                                                                                                                                     


                                    

Leslie Gravatt Fisher 1906 - 1988

Leslie Gravatt Fisher 1906 – 1988

Jessie Gravatt married George Samuel Fisher in 1905. They had a son Leslie Gravatt Fisher born in 1906.  Jessie was Ordained as Deacon in 1933 and as Priest in 1934. He performed the marriage ceremony of his cousin (my nan) Edna Curtis (daughter of Louisa Gravatt) in 1934.  He was Rector of St. Mary’s Bermondsey from 1939 – 1947 and resident as Canon of Chester Cathedral from 1965 to 1975 when he retired.  Jessie’s’ last known address was 14 Lamb Park, Chagford, Newton Abbot, Devon.  He was buried in Chagford Parish church.

Katherine Gravatt was known as Renie, and was born on 20th February, 1881. It appears from the HHARP (Historic Hospital Admission Records Project) that she may have suffered from Lupus as a child and was admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital when she was 11 years old, in January 1891 (although this is a year out as far as her age would be concerned and the address of residence does not match that of Stavordale Road, where they lived in March 1891 9).  However, as no other Katherine Gravatt appears on the census for 1881/1891 in London for this age, I must assume it is her. [Thanks to Richard Bardner for this information] I have not been able to find her in the 1911 census.

Katherine became a nurse and moved to New Zealand in around 1920. She was found to be leaving Southampton for Auckland on 25th February, 1925 on the Tainui, so this may have been a return visit or the initial emigration.   She never married. Her Obituary appeared in the Otago Times in 1980.  This included a brief outline of her life in New Zealand.

 

Katherine Gravatt 1881 - 1980

Katherine Gravatt 1881 – 1980

                                               

                     OTAGO DAILY TIMES                                     19.08.1980

                    OBITUARY                                                     MISS K. GRAVATT

 (Ranfurly Special) – The death has occurred of Maniatoto’s oldest resident, Miss  Katherine Gravatt, aged 99.  She would have been 100 on February 21.

Miss Gravatt was born in England and came to New Zealand in 1920 after nursing in England.  She was matron at Campbell House at Otago Boys High School for 15 years.  Then she worked at the Waipiata Sanatorium as seamstress for nine years, retiring to Ranfurly when she reached the age of 65.  She was a patient in the Maniato hospital for the past nine years and a half.

Miss Gravatt was interested in the St. Clair Surf Life-Saving Club and gave various pieces of equipment to them.  She also made donations to the Waipata Youth Centre and gave cardiac beds, tea sets, flowers and shrubs to the Maniatoto hospital.

 

Rebecca Gravatt & Edgar Sparks & children c 1914

Rebecca Gravatt & Edgar Sparks & children c 1914

 

 

 

  Rebecca Gravatt born in 1883 married Edgar Sparks in 1907 and they had three children:

Harold Sparks b 1908
Stephen Sparks b 1910
Peggy Sparks b 1916

At the time of the 1911 census they were living at 21 Evesham Road, New Southgate, Edmonton 9

Opposite photo of Rebecca, Harold, Edgar & Stephen c 1914 sent to me by grandchild of Harold; Eddy Towers

 

 

 

Ernest Gravatt was born on 31st January, 1885 at Walthamstow. He was a clerk and later worked for London County Council as a School Caretaker and then Tottenham Library.  After he retired he continued to work as  Filing Clerk for a large firm of Solicitors.  He had a fine singing voice and was a member of London Welsh Male Voiced Choir. 16.

He married Annie Gladys Sparham (daughter of Henry Sparham and Miriam Braun) on 2nd December,1906 at St. Gabriel, Bounds Green.  She was a piano teacher as a young woman 16.  I remember Annie as Auntie Gladys and I used to pop round for a cup of tea with my mum when we lived in Tottenham in the 1960’s.  They had one son:  

Frederick Ernest Gravatt born 15.4.1907 Tottenham                                                                                                                                                                                                    m 14.10.1939 Tottenham to Florence Violet Young                                                                                                                                            d 14.7.1992

In turn had two sons Roger and Neil (the author of the original family tree). Ernest died on 1st December, 1966 a while after suffering a stroke and Gladys died on 8th August 1972  16

 


 

Louisa Gravatt (Curtis) c 1965

Louisa Gravatt (Curtis) c 1965

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Louisa Gravatt was my great grandmother. She was born on 9th March, 1887 at 34 Stavordale Road, Islington 4.  She married my great grandfather Augustus Thomas George Curtis in 1909.  Please see the Curtis family history for more. 

                                                                                                 


 

DNA Matches

I have a DNA match with a descendant of Clara Gravatt b 1849, sister of my 2 X great grandfather Robert. 

 


 Back to top

1 Will of John Gravatt senior dated 11 January, 1834

2 familysearch.org

3 St. Luke’s Finsbury  registers

4 birth, marriage, death certificates

5 St. Clement Dane’s, Westminster registers

6 1846 London Directory

7 Old Bailey Online

8 The Times Archive

9 Census returns, ancestry.co.uk

10 Highgate cemetery headstone photo sent by Peter Tann

11 letter from James Tann’s daughter-in-law Jane Tann to her son 1907.

12 baptisms, marriages and burials from ancestry.co.uk

13 Free Reg

14 Emails from Debbie July 2020

15 Probate records from ancestry.co.uk

16 Information given to me by Roger Gravatt

 

 

3 Responses to “Gravatt”

  • Ellie:

    Hi Angela, it was great to find your website and the Gravatt family connection. Rosa Mary Gravatt born 1870 or 1871 was from the census, the youngest daughter of Edward Gravatt and Eliza P K. Rosa Mary Gravatt married Edward George London who was born in Hackney in 1866 and a leather case maker. They had one son, Arthur Howard who was born in 1899 in Hackney. They lived at 43 Lavers Road Stoke Newington. Rosa Mary Gravatt is living with them (widowed) when she is 73, and Arthur Howard was 11 years old in the 1911 census. Arthur was my grandfather, and Rosa Mary my great grand mother so Edward Gravatt and Eliza P K Gravatt my great great grandparents!!!

    This is amended version!!

    Best wishes

  • Hello, Juliet. It appears that you and I have a connection in our family tree: Alfred Gravatt, b. 1879 in Homerton and d. 1904. He married my great-aunt Rosa Alice Eliza RILEY, b.1883, d.1966. They had two children: Evelyn Rosa Mary GRAVATT, 1905-1983, and Eric Alfred GRAVATT, 1909-1981. They lived in London. I started our family tree in 2012.

    Best regards, Angela

    • Hi Angela.
      Thanks for getting in touch. I will add the details of Eric and Evelyn onto the family tree. I don’t suppose you have any photos do you? Always worth asking as we are a bit thin on the ground with Gravatt photos!
      All the best Juliet

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